Annual PWI 500 Released: John Cena Tops List For Third Time; Does He Deserve It?

By seanlinhares

Image Courtesy of Official John Cena WWE Universe Page

Pro Wrestling Illustrated has now released their list of the top 500 pro wrestlers in the world for 23 consecutive years. Men like Stone Cold Steve Austin, The Rock, and Kurt Angle have all topped the list, thus making it quite an honor to be chosen as the top man in wrestling by PWI.

It is also an honor that is incredibly tough to come by, making it impossible to win three times, right?

Well … almost impossible, as this years winner has officially been announced by the popular wrestling magazine as being none other than John Cena, who was the first name on the list in 2006 and 2007. That makes Cena a three time winner, meaning he has done what many felt was impossible.

The official PWI website stated the reasons for his selection being his Money In The Bank victory, WrestleMania 29 victory against The Rock, and phenomenal matches on Monday Night Raw against CM Punk. Of course all three of those moments are standouts in the past year of pro wrestling, making the selection perfectly sensible.

Aside those moments, Cena is one of the most popular and talented stars in wrestling today. He is loved by millions and hated by even more millions, making any opponent that faces him instantly over, regardless of whether they’re a heel or a face. Stars like Ryback, Daniel Bryan, and more have all felt the immediate bump in stature that accompanies facing Cena, and it’s certainly a massive one.

Those same stars have also had some of their best matches against John, despite many internet fans claiming he can’t wrestle. The amount of memorable matches he has put on not only in his career as a whole, but also just the last 12 months is astounding, and cements his spot in wrestling royalty.

Phenomenal matches, the ability to instantly make anyone relevant, and one of the greatest years in wrestling history have landed John Cena at the top of PWI’s 500 list for an unprecedented and record-breaking third time.

Here’s to another year of seeing one of the all-time greats do his thing and to a speedy recovery for that same legend.

Sean Linhares is a WWE writer for RantSpots.com. You can follow him on Twitter @Seany_WE, join his network on Google